The topic of this post may seem odd at first, but bare with me.  Indeed, I am recommending that you use your clients, and this is nothing new.  For years, the smart people that write books about running businesses have been saying that - know who your best customers are, ask them their opinion about something new you plan on undertaking.  Simple right?

Maybe not so, as we keep running up against the same issue over and over again.  We typically land a project because of our know-how - our clients present us with their problem, we work up a solution, it impresses the heck out of the client, then our best customers do the remainder of the selling for us by giving us glowing references.  So far so good.  Then we start the project, and the client all of a sudden becomes the outmost expert on usability, technology solutions, website design, social media use - basically all of the services that they've hired us to deliver.  That happens, no big deal, we work through it, but at the same time, the REASON for it happening is very important, and one that caused me to write a post on the subject.

The REASON for that occurrence is very simple - the client now acts on his own behalf.  This is what I like, this is what I think, and this is what I know - you should follow suit.  This type of attitude quickly deteriorates the relationship, as the client feels that we're not offering them a worthwhile solution (what happened when you were hiring us?), and we do not feel valued or appreciated anymore (it is never just about the money.)  Up until recently, I've always tried to salvage the relationship, and if unsuccessful, just deliver the project as the client wants and move on.  Recently, I started to win these types of clients and turn them into my biggest cheerleaders.  How?

Simply.  We put in a lot of work into something that eventually goes before a client.  Be that design, documentation, diagrams, etc.  There are reasons why we do things the way we do them, and those reasons are squarely based on our experience - having built hundreds of sites at this point.  And so whenever that piece of work gets shut down by a client because the client THINKS its wrong, I always reply with: "Why don't you ask your best clients what they think about it?"  The lightbulb typically goes off.  Still skeptical, the client then goes back to their clients, and inveriably, come back with: "You were right."  In fact, ever since I started using this technique - I am 9 for 9.  That doesn't mean that I do not make changes to whatever was at stake - we typically end up making revisions based on what the client's clients say, but at that point, the process is much easier for everyone - the client knows why they are requesting changes and what changes will work, and we know exactly why we're making these changes.

So there are really 2 lessons here. First, remember that the work you're doing is not for you - it is for your clients, and they may think something completely different from you.  And second, do not be affraid, shy, or otherwise, to ask your clients for feedback - they are your greatest asset in every way.  As is proven once again.